Galaxias
Encyclopedia
Galaxias is the common name for a large group of smallish, highly successful freshwater fish in the Galaxias genus and Galaxiidae family. Galaxias are restricted to the southern hemisphere, and generally only occur in temperate latitudes; only one species is known from sub-tropical habitat (McDowall, 2006). Before European settlement, galaxias were the dominant group of native freshwater fish in New Zealand, and, along with the Percichthyidae, one of two dominant groups of native fish freshwater in south-eastern Australia.
Galaxias are cool water species, with many wholly freshwater species specialising in high altitude upland streams (including very small streams), rivers and lakes. Some galaxias species include a marine stage in their life cycle where larvae are washed out to sea where they develop and return to rivers as juveniles. These species are consequently also found in low altitude habitats, but frequently migrate to high altitude reaches of river systems in their adult stage.
Wholly freshwater galaxias species are gravely threatened by exotic salmonid species, particularly exotic trout
species, which prey heavily upon galaxias and compete with them for food. This is a major concern as exotic trout species have been recklessly introduced to many different landmasses (e.g. Australia, New Zealand), with no thought as to impacts on native fish such as galaxias, and no attempt to preserve some exotic-trout-free habitats for native fish.
In most situations, wholly freshwater galaxias species show a complete inability to survive in the presence of exotic trout species, and many wholly freshwater galaxias species now occur only in the rare trout-free habitats still available to them. Numerous localised extinctions of wholly freshwater galaxias species (i.e. mountain galaxias
) have been caused by the introduction of exotic trout species (including ongoing illegal stockings) and a number of wholly freshwater galaxias species are threatened with overall extinction by exotic trout species and other exotic salmonids (McDowall, 2006).
Galaxias are cool water species, with many wholly freshwater species specialising in high altitude upland streams (including very small streams), rivers and lakes. Some galaxias species include a marine stage in their life cycle where larvae are washed out to sea where they develop and return to rivers as juveniles. These species are consequently also found in low altitude habitats, but frequently migrate to high altitude reaches of river systems in their adult stage.
Wholly freshwater galaxias species are gravely threatened by exotic salmonid species, particularly exotic trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
species, which prey heavily upon galaxias and compete with them for food. This is a major concern as exotic trout species have been recklessly introduced to many different landmasses (e.g. Australia, New Zealand), with no thought as to impacts on native fish such as galaxias, and no attempt to preserve some exotic-trout-free habitats for native fish.
In most situations, wholly freshwater galaxias species show a complete inability to survive in the presence of exotic trout species, and many wholly freshwater galaxias species now occur only in the rare trout-free habitats still available to them. Numerous localised extinctions of wholly freshwater galaxias species (i.e. mountain galaxias
Mountain galaxias
The mountain galaxias species complex is a group of freshwater Galaxiid fish found all over southeast Australia. They form a cryptic species complex.-Classification:These fish were originally designated as a single species, Galaxias olidus, despite:...
) have been caused by the introduction of exotic trout species (including ongoing illegal stockings) and a number of wholly freshwater galaxias species are threatened with overall extinction by exotic trout species and other exotic salmonids (McDowall, 2006).
Species
- Roundhead galaxiasRoundhead galaxiasThe roundhead galaxias, Galaxias anomalus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in the Taieri and Clutha catchments in Otago, New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 13 cm.-References:*...
, Galaxias anomalus StokellGerald StokellGerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.-Early life:Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane . He lived there for his whole life...
, 1959 - Giant kokopuGiant kokopuFor a general article about all 3 kokopu.The giant kokopu, Galaxias argenteus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 45 cm and is the largest member of the Galaxiidae family. It is also one of the five species that occur in the whitebait...
, Galaxias argenteus (Gmelin, 1789) - Golden galaxias, Galaxias auratus Johnston, 1883
- Climbing or short-fin galaxiasClimbing galaxiasThe Climbing galaxias or the Koaro , is a fish of the family Galaxiidae found in Australia, New Zealand and nearby islands. The name Climbing galaxias is used in Australia, and Koaro in New Zealand...
or Koaro (NZ)Climbing galaxiasThe Climbing galaxias or the Koaro , is a fish of the family Galaxiidae found in Australia, New Zealand and nearby islands. The name Climbing galaxias is used in Australia, and Koaro in New Zealand...
Galaxias brevipinnis Günther, 1866 - Lowland longjawed galaxiasLowland longjawed galaxiasThe lowland longjawed galaxias, Galaxias cobitinis, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in the South Island of New Zealand, in the Kauru River, a tributary of the Kakanui River in north Otago, and in parts of the upper Waitaki catchment...
, Galaxias cobitinis McDowall & Waters, 2002 - Flathead galaxias (Australia)Flathead galaxias (Australia)The flathead galaxias, Galaxias rostratus, is a freshwater fish found in lowland rivers and streams and associated billabongs, backwaters, etc of the southern Murray-Darling river system in Australia....
, Galaxias rostratus Klunzinger, 1872 - Mountain galaxiasMountain galaxiasThe mountain galaxias species complex is a group of freshwater Galaxiid fish found all over southeast Australia. They form a cryptic species complex.-Classification:These fish were originally designated as a single species, Galaxias olidus, despite:...
, Galaxias olidus Günter, 1866 - Flathead galaxias (New Zealand)Flathead galaxias (New Zealand)The flathead galaxias, Galaxias depressiceps, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found primarily in the Taieri River catchment in Otago, New Zealand. This species should not be confused with the Australian fish with the same common name: Galaxias rostratus.-References:*...
, Galaxias depressiceps McDowall & Wallis, 1996 - Dwarf galaxias, Galaxias divergens StokellGerald StokellGerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.-Early life:Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane . He lived there for his whole life...
, 1959 - Eldons galaxiasEldons galaxiasThe Eldons galaxias, Galaxias eldoni, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, endemic to New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 15 cm.-References:*...
, Galaxias eldoni McDowall, 1997 - Banded kokopuBanded kokopuFor a general article about all 3 kokopu.The banded kokopu, Galaxias fasciatus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, including the Chatham and Stewart/Rakiura islands...
, Galaxias fasciatus Gray, 1842 - Swan galaxias, Galaxias fontanus Fulton, 1978
- Brown galaxias or barred galaxias, Galaxias fuscus Mack, 1936
- Galaxias globicepsGalaxias globicepsGalaxias globiceps is a species of fish in the Galaxiidae family endemic to Chile.-References:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
Eigenmann, 1928 - Gollum galaxiasGollum galaxiasThe Gollum galaxias, Galaxias gollumoides, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, on Stewart Island/Rakiura, throughout the Catlins and Southland, and in the Nevis River. It grows to a length of up to 15 cm.-References:*...
, Galaxias gollumoides McDowall & Chadderton, 1999 - Dwarf inangaDwarf inangaThe dwarf inanga, Galaxias gracilis, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found in the North Island of New Zealand.It is a landlocked galaxiid present in only 11 lakes on the west coast of the North Island within 50 km of Dargaville, and in Lake Ototoa on the South Kaipara Head, where it was...
, Galaxias gracilis McDowall, 1967 - Clarence galaxiasClarence galaxiasThe Clarence galaxias is a species of fish in the Galaxiidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Source:* Wager, R. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
, Galaxias johnstoni Scott, 1936 - Common galaxiasCommon galaxiasThe common galaxias or the inanga , is a species of fish from the galaxiid family that is very widespread in the southern hemisphere. It is a slim narrow fish with a forked tail and as an adult it lives in freshwater rivers and lakes. Common galaxias grows to a length of 40 to 120 mm, but can grow...
, inanga, common jollytail or puyen, Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842) - Galaxias neocaledonicus Weber & de Beaufort, 1913
- Galaxias niger Andrews, 1985
- Western galaxiasWestern galaxiasThe western galaxias , also called the western minnow, is a species of fish in the genus Galaxias of small, Southern Hemisphere freshwater fish of the family Galaxiidae....
, Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby, 1899 - Galaxias olidus Günther, 1866
- Small pedder galaxiasSmall pedder galaxiasThe small pedder galaxias or swamp galaxias is a species of fish in the Galaxiidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Source:* Wager, R. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
, Galaxias parvus Frankenberg, 1968 - Alpine galaxiasAlpine galaxiasThe alpine river galaxias, Galaxias paucispondylus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in mid to high altitude streams flowing from the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 11 cm....
, Galaxias paucispondylus StokellGerald StokellGerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.-Early life:Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane . He lived there for his whole life...
, 1938 - Pedder galaxiasPedder galaxiasPedder galaxias, Galaxias pedderensis, is a critically endangered Australian freshwater fish. It is considered to be extinct in the wild and was originally found only in Lake Pedder in Tasmania.-Range:...
, Galaxias pedderensis Frankenberg, 1968 - Galaxias platei Steindachner, 1898
- Shortjaw kokopuShortjaw kokopuFor a general article about all 3 kokopu.The shortjaw kokopu, Galaxias postvectis, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, apart from the Chatham and Stewart/Rakiura islands. It grows to a length of up to 26 cm....
, Galaxias postvectis Clarke, 1899 - Longjawed galaxiasLongjawed galaxiasThe longjawed galaxias, Galaxias prognathus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in rivers and streams at mid to high altitudes on the eastern side of the Southern Alps in the South Island of New Zealand...
, Galaxias prognathus StokellGerald StokellGerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.-Early life:Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane . He lived there for his whole life...
, 1940 - Dusky galaxiasDusky galaxiasThe dusky galaxias, Galaxias pullus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in the Taieri and Clutha catchments in Otago, New Zealand.-References:*...
, Galaxias pullus McDowall, 1997 - Saddled galaxiasSaddled galaxiasThe saddled galaxias is a species of fish in the Galaxiidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Source:* Wager, R. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
, Galaxias tanycephalus Fulton, 1978 - Spotted galaxiasSpotted galaxias-Introduction:Spotted galaxias are a largish, primarily-freshwater galaxias species found in southern Australia. Spotted galaxias are perhaps the most beautiful of the Australian galaxias species...
, Galaxias truttaceus ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
, 1846 - Common river galaxiasCommon river galaxiasThe common river galaxias or Canterbury galaxias, Galaxias vulgaris, is a galaxiid fish of the genus Galaxias, found only in Canterbury, New Zealand. It grows to a length of up to 15 cm .-References:*...
or Canterbury galaxias, Galaxias vulgaris StokellGerald StokellGerald Stokell was a New Zealand amateur ichthyologist.-Early life:Stokell was born at Prebbleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 June 1890 to Edmund Stokell and Jane . He lived there for his whole life...
, 1949 - Cape galaxiasCape galaxiasThe Cape galaxias, Galaxias zebratus, is a freshwater fish of the family Galaxiidae, found in South Africa in coastal streams and rivers from the Keurbooms on the south coast to the Clanwilliam Olifants River system on the west coast.-References:*...
, Galaxias zebratus (Castelnau, 1861)